Cutting large table legs on a bandsaw

Having been a woodworker for 15+ years, I still consider myself a beginner of sorts. I have mainly built cabinets and have surely become good at making them. I am now looking at building a 6 foot kitchen table with a two inch cherry top. I’m not really into the farmhouse style but instead wish to make the base out of two substantial cherry pedestals. I have been reviewing all sorts of styles online I just haven’t found the perfect pedestal to for a better word – copy. I see the big chunky square table legs that look like they could be cut with a bandsaw. i do not have a bandsaw yet but this would be a good excuse to get one. Does anyone have any experience with say tracing the leg onto say a 6” leg then cutting all four sides with a bandsaw? There really isn’t much on youtube regarding the larger legs cut with a bandsaw – its mainly with a large lathe. Thanks for your input.

4 replies so far

Yes, you can trace the pattern on the square legs and almost cut them to the end. This will allow the waste piece to serve as a “leveler” as the turn the piece to cut other side. Once you are done cutting all four, then you can cut all the waste at the end. Another approach is to cut the waste all the way and then tape it back on to the square.

Unfortunate for me – Im not the best idea guy from scratch – I see one of whatever that similar and figure how how they did it. Im sure with a bandsaw there would be a lot of sanding required to clean up the surfaces. Thanks for your input. Now i get to go buy a new bandsaw.

Depending on your design, you really won’t be doing much more sanding than normal. After making your cuts, use spokeshaves, rasps, and so on before reaching for the sandpaper. Sorry for adding on to your list!

In the process of making a pencil post bed for a granddaughter, I squared up the long posts, marked them with a template I made from Poplar, and then bandsawed (slightly outside the lines) the waste off. As I bandsawed each side off, i taped it back on before cutting the next side. Then handplaned to the lines and than marked and cut the smaller octagonal sides/edges. It worked great. I did have to have some in-feed and out-feed supports.

There was some spokeshave work required too, and I got some good use from my Dremel tool as needed.